The question is in the context of Cyclone Fani that is set to hit Odisha on May 3, causing extensive damage.Fani, had already intensified into an “extremely severe cyclone”.

Key demands of the question:

The answer must evaluate the factors responsible for the origin of cyclones more so specifically in the Bay of Bengal region and one has to evaluate effects of such cyclonic effect on the regional climate as well s the navigation and fishing aspects related to the coastal communities of the region.

Directive word

Explain – Clarify the topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction

In a few introductory lines explain the background of the question.

Body

Discuss the following aspects in the answer:

What are the factors responsible for a cyclonic activity?

Why is the Bay of Bengal prone to cyclones? –

BoB water is warmer than Arabian sea water ;landlocked- less heat circulation and less powerful winds- again lesser heat circulation

fresh water from rivers fall into BoB, making the water as a light thin layer, more prone to evaporation

easterly jet – causing the windfall in eastern coastal States of India. And in Arabian sea these winds will steer the windfall towards eastern Africa , not towards western coast of India .

Discuss the influence of such weather phenomena on the regional climate.

Explain its impact on local community, aspects of navigation, fishing etc.

Highlight the need for managing disasters and need for readiness and preparedness.

Conclusion

Conclude with significance of such geographical phenomena.

Topic: Social empowerment,Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States.

The article highlights by articulating concept of “feminist finance” the emergent non-enabler role of the state.

Key demand of the question:

The question is to evaluate the concept of Feminist finance and the role of State in making efforts for gender equalization. The answer must provide for a detailed narration of what you understand by feminist finance and the role of a state in enabling gender equalization.

Directive word:

Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.

Structure of the answer

Introduction:

write a few introductory lines about the concept.

Body:

Answers must discuss the following aspects :

A feminist is someone who believes in equality. A ‘financial feminist’ is just about believing in financial equality of women. Discuss the role of women as both as economic agents and as citizens. Explain what are the hurdles to women becoming agents of economy in our country, discuss the societal, political and economic factors associated.

Discuss the need for State to act as an enabler for feminist finance so as to attain gender equalization and parity.

Conclusion –

Conclude with way forward.

General Studies – 2

Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

The article provides for deep insights on the highlights brought to us by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranking for 2019. The NIRF ranking covers institutions from nine categories, such as overall, university, engineering, college, management, pharmacy, law, architecture, and medical.

Key demand of the question:

The answer must appreciate the regional dominance and disparity as highlighted by the NIRF, and one has to evaluate the role played by the NIRF in enhancing the quality of higher education.

Directive:

Analyze – When asked to analyse, you have to examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them as a whole in a summary.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction:

Brief upon the scenario , bring out the highlights of NIRF 2019.

Body:

Body of the answer should discuss the following factors :

Brief about NIRF – framework outlines a methodology to rank institutions across the country. The methodology draws from the overall recommendations broad understanding arrived at by a Core Committee set up by MHRD, to identify the broad parameters for ranking various universities and institutions. The parameters broadly cover “Teaching, Learning and Resources,” “Research and Professional Practices,” “Graduation Outcomes,” “Outreach and Inclusivity,” and “Perception”.

Discuss why there is a regional dominance and vis-a-via disparity in the ranking? – quote from the article ;Of the 860 institutions ranked, 182 institutions (accounting for 21 per cent) are from Tamil Nadu (TN).An analysis of its performance, welfare and politics brings out two important insights. First is the “populist” nature of its welfare policies. The regional parties which have been governing TN since 1960s progressively built a competitive populist platform. Central to this is a progressive and expanding pool of welfare programmes, a fair measure of effectiveness in delivery, and a reasonable degree of commitment to their stability.

Suggest what should be done ?

Conclusion:

Conclude with significance of such ranking framework in improvising the existing education scenario in India.

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests. Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources.

The article discusses in detail the concept of techno-nationalism,it highlights the relationship between Technology and nationalism. How technology has often been an instrument of national power; and the quest for national power has, in turn, led to the investments in, and the creation of, different models of scientific organization.

Key demand of the question:

The question expects one to assert the need for national technology strategy as a part of its development policy for furthering the benefits of technology in policies and programmes.

Directive word:

Comment– here we have to express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction:

Begin with brief introductory lines stating what you understand by techno-nationalism.

Body:

Discussion should include the following aspects –

Explain how and why technology and nationalism are interrelated and interlinked?

Discuss the role of technology in policy making, what differences does it bring in policy front?

Explain who are the carriers of new front of techno-nationalism ? – nexus of big companies, state power and consumerist populism.

One can take examples from the article and justify the need for technological strategy as part of national policy making.

Conclusion:

Conclude with a reassertion of significance of National technology strategy and its need.

General Studies – 3

Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources.

The article captures in detail how Economic geography is central to India’s regional inequality distresses. It emphasises the need for issue to be looked through the prism of economic geography—density, distance, division by the policy makers.

Demand of the question:

This question seeks to examine the interlinkages between economic geography and the regional inequalities and disparities.

Directive word:

Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction

Start with brief introduction of the prevalent inequalities and disparities in the country.

Body

Discuss the following points in detail:

What is regional inequality?

What is regional disparity in India?

The causes of regional disparities in India? What are the major causes of inequality in India?

Take cues from the article and explain how the World Bank repeatedly identified the key dimensions of economic development—density, distance and division to deal with inequalities that are regional in nature.

Provide for a comparison of regional inequalities – say north and south and then justify how economic geography aspects in the policy making can help resolve the issue.

Conclusion

Conclude with significance of the economic geography in policy making.

Topic: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention.

The article brings us highlights of a report- Current State of Cybercrime – 2019″ white paper, released by RSA Security, that states cyber criminals are increasingly relying on social media platforms to sell stolen identities, credit card numbers and other ill-gotten gains.Fraud from mobile apps rose 680% between 2015 and 2018.

Key demand of the question:

Analyse in detail the issues around cyber security, the root causes of Cyber fraud and what needs to be done to handle the menace.

Directive word:

Criticallyanalyze – When asked to analyze, you have to examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them as a whole in a summary. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a fair judgement.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction:

In a few introductory lines discuss the highlights of the report.

Body:

First explain what you understand by cyber frauds – cyber fraud is any crime that is committed with the use of a computer or to computer data. This can look like many things, such as: Identity theft. Stolen bank account numbers.

Due to the incredibly rapid advances in technology and electronic communications, a steadily increasing proportion of total fraud is

being perpetrated with the use of computers, the Internet, and sophisticated software and programming techniques.

Discuss the impact, reach and expanse – not only are individuals victimized by cyber fraud, but companies suffer from the costly effects of cyber fraud within their networks.

Explain while some of the detection and prevention methods for managing these cyber risks will be technological, a human element in the fight against cyber fraud will always be central to the war on such crimes.

explain with the aid of recent examples.

Conclusion:

Conclude with what needs to be done, suggest way forward.

General Studies – 4

Topic : Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships.

The question is intended to evaluate the kernel of ethics in private and public relationships.

Key demand of the question:

The answer is direct and straightforward, one must discuss the significance of ethics in private and public relationships.

Directive word:

Explain – Clarify the topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction:

In a few introductory lines appreciate the concept of ethics.

Body:

First differentiate what you understand by private relationship, public relationship, how the two are different from each other. – Ethics in private relationship are generally directed by individual virtues, universal human values, religion, social norms and law of land. Therefore they comprise limited influencing factor.

On the other hand Public relationship are more instrumental such as organizational colleagues, politicians, strangers, and other outside of one’s relatively narrow circle of intimacy.Public Relation is a management function that engages monitoring and evaluating public attitudes and maintaining mutual relations and understanding between an organization and its public. Public could include shareholders, government, consumers, employees and the media. It is the action of getting along with people we constantly come in touch with.

Discuss how the two differ from each other and thus the ethical aspects applied to them also vary accordingly.

Conclusion:

Conclude with importance of ethics in private and public relationship.

Topic : Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships.

The question is intended to help you tackle the case study based questions in the ethics GS -IV paper.

Key demand of the question:

The question is based on alleged sexual harassment at the workplace. Thus one has to carefully evaluate the case study and conclude with a balanced solution addressing all the stakeholders involved.

Structure of the answer:

Introduction:

In a few introductory lines appreciate the key facts of the case , do not waste too many words here.

Body:

Explain the situation in brief – It is situation of alleged sexual harassment at the workplace which, if proved true, will portray the company in poor light, thereby affecting its credibility and profitability in the long run. A sense of insecurity might creep in among other female employees of the companies, thus hampering the team spirit.

Suggest how should the case be handled ? – As a project manager you must first probe into the case and gain clarity.

An independent panel must be immediately set up having women members on its board to probe the allegations impartially.Mrs. x should be transferred from Mr. A’s team citing reasons like team restructuring.

Discuss what should be done to avoid such situations to arise in future – value addition sessions for employees, induction programmes etc.

Conclusion:

Conclude with opinion on the case with way forward.

NOTE:

We are giving hints for each question. Please use your creativity and originality to come up with answers that are unique to you. But do so without deviating from core demand of each question. Ultimately you should use your reason and judgement to write your own answer.